started head gasket job

[lb7lbz]

well i started the head gasket job on fri last week. i removed both the cab and bed in 4 hours. today i worked another 4 hours stripping the engine of electrical fuel lines brackets etc. pulled the right valve covers and pulled all 4 injectors out. my question is what is the crud in the bottom of the cup when i pull the injector out?also the injectors looked gross however when i pulled the truck apart it ran great and injector balance rates were good??the truck was driven for a while on bad gaskets how will i know if the heads are even good?

[lb7lbz]

anybody? anyone?

[9365turbo]

You removed the cab and the bed why? I didnt take my cab off. The crud is most likely carbon deposits. Are you pulling the injector cups? It took my around 40hrs to replace mine.

[Kennedy]

The crud is ground up rust from the high pressure lines. The rust forms between the line nut and line and grinds up when removing the lines. My preference is to replace the lines rather than risk more crap getting into the injectors, but then again I'm generally replacing injectors not just head gaskets.

Removing the cab is gaining in popularity as it allows decent access to the engine so you are not leaning ovet the fenders. Engine removal is also a solid concept. Both allow you to do a much better job of cleaning, checking, setting valves, etc.

[lb7lbz]

You removed the cab and the bed why? I didnt take my cab off. The crud is most likely carbon deposits. Are you pulling the injector cups? It took my around 40hrs to replace mine.

removed the cab for better access to everything. as well i want to run all new brake lines(maine is tough on trucks). bed to replace a bad fuel gauge as well as brake lines and undercoat everything while i am there. the hope is this truck goes another 275k. thanks for the replys.. pulled one head yesterday and surprised it didnt look that bad.